150+ Organizations Demand Banks Defund Coastal GasLink, Respect Wet’suwet’en Rights
Attention: Banks financing CGL
- Canada: RBC, Bank of Montreal, CIBC, Scotiabank, TD, Canadian Western Bank, ATB Financial, National Bank of Canada, Export Development Canada, Raymond James Finance Co of Canada Ltd
- USA: JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Citi, Truist
- Australia: National Australia Bank
- China: Bank of China, China Construction Bank, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC)
- Japan: Mizuho, MUFG, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings
- Spain: CaixaBank
- Germany: KfW IPEX Bank, Landesbank Baden-Wuerttemberg
- Korea: Kookmin Bank
- Singapore: United Overseas Bank
Data from Banking On Climate Chaos Report: Who’s Banking the Coastal Gaslink pipeline?
We are writing with respect to your investments in the Coastal GasLink pipeline and LNG Canada projects and hereby formally request you divest and withdraw all financial support for these projects on human rights, environmental and climate related grounds.
“Coastal GasLink has not engaged in respectful consultation with us. Backing this project implicates investors in perpetuating violence to our land and on my people. If investors are serious about their commitments to social responsibility and racial justice, they must commit to not financing projects that threaten Wet’suwet’en sovereignty, violate our land and sacrifice our future. Otherwise, when companies talk of reconciliation, it’s just empty promises — and we’ve had more than enough of those already.” – Chief Sleydo’ (Molly Wickham), Gidimt’en, Wet’suwet’en Nation.
As you know, TC Energy is building the 670 kilometre Coastal GasLink pipeline through Wet’suwet’en territory in British Columbia, Canada. This pipeline is planned to connect fracked gas fields in Northern British Columbia with the LNG Canada Kitimat terminal, the largest private sector investment in Canada’s history. 2.1 billion cubic feet (bcf) (with the potential for delivery of up to 5 billion bcf/d) of climate-impacting gas will be transported via this pipeline daily.
Wet’suwet’en territory is divided into 5 clans and 13 house groups, and stretches over 22,000 square kilometres. Each clan has full jurisdiction to control access to its territory. The Wet’suwet’en have re-asserted their right to jurisdiction over their lands, to determine access and prevent trespass under ‘Anic ‘niwh’it’én (Wet’suwet’en law), and to free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), as enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP). The Coastal GasLink project is in violation of UNDRIP, adopted at both the provincial and federal level in Canada.
“Indigenous peoples shall not be forcibly removed from their lands or territories. No relocation shall take place without the free, prior and informed consent of the Indigenous peoples.” Article 10 – UNDRIP
Head hereditary chiefs of all 5 clans have confirmed the Wet’suwet’en nation’s opposition to the Coastal GasLink pipeline in the Bahtlats or Feast hall, in accordance with Wet’suwet’en law. As such, we stand with the hereditary leadership of the Wet’suwet’en people who demand a stop to TC Energy and Coastal Gaslink incursions on their land.
In November, as the southern half of British Columbia was reeling from catastrophic rains and flooding exacerbated by climate breakdown, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), invaded Wet’suwet’en land and violently removed Wet’suwet’en land defenders opposing the construction of the project as well as accredited journalists. 32 people were arrested. These actions were decried by many media outlets and organizations including Amnesty International and the Union of British Columbia Indian Chiefs. That millions of dollars have been spent on law enforcement such as the RCMP to remove Indigenous community members from their lands and to facilitate the construction of the pipeline should be an indication to you of the extent of the opposition to this risky project.
As your institution is providing financing for the Coastal Gaslink pipeline project, your institution is responsible for related human rights abuses and climate impacts, including recent violence perpetrated at the hands of the RCMP, including the use of lethal overwatch, k-9 units, and assault rifles trained on unarmed Indigenous women. In addition, Coastal Gaslink is responsible for violating international and constitutionally protected Indigenous rights in Canada by preventing Wet’suwet’en people from accessing their own lands. Blindly accepting CGL’s assertion that they have engaged in adequate consultation with First Nations Bands does not relieve you of your responsibilities to Indigenous communities.
The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination recommended in 2019 that Canada withdraw security and policing services from Wet’suwet’en traditional lands. B.C.’s independent Human Rights Commission have urged Canada to stop work until it obtains free, prior, and informed consent (“FPIC”) from all impacted First Nations.
Beyond the continuing and recent human rights abuses and violations which may contradict your own institution’s human rights policies, the climate and environmental impacts of this project can not be ignored. This project, when completed, would increase GHG emissions by up to 5 billion cubic litres of fracked gas and is certainly not aligned with net zero and 1.5 degree pathways including the International Energy Agency’s Roadmap to Net Zero. There are also documented risks and dangers to forests and water as a result of this project.
We urge you to align your financing of infrastructure projects with human rights and climate considerations. Thus we the undersigned urge you to:
- Meet with Wet’suwet’en hereditary leadership to discuss their concerns, recent rights violations, and requests for an end to construction of the pipeline
- End financing of the Coastal Gaslink project.
Signed,
Indigenous Environmental Network
Honor the Earth
Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN)
Mazaska Talks
Union of BC Indian Chiefs (UBCIC)
Stand.earth
Rainforest Action Network
RapidShift Network
Shift: Action for Pension Wealth & Planet Health
Future Coalition
Leadnow
350.org
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE)
Équiterre
sumofus
BankTrack
Reclaim Finance
urgewald
Sustainabiliteens
GreenFaith
Greenpeace Canada
Friends of the Earth Japan
RAVEN (Respecting Aboriginal Values and Environmental Needs)
Climate Emergency Unit
The Climate Reality Project Canada
Oil Change International
Wilderness Committee
Banking on a Better Future
Action Center on Race and the Economy
Environmental Defence
Protect Our Winters Canada
Fondation David Suzuki
Environnement Vert Plus
Foire ÉCOSPHÈRE
Front commun pour la transition énergétique
Climate Strike Canada
Fossil Free California
Youth Emergency Auxiliary Service Sierra Leone (YEAS-SL)
Grand(m)others Act to Save the Planet (GASP)
Canadian Unitarians for Social Justice
Fossil Free Northwestern
The WaterWealth Project
Extinction Rebellion Youth US
Living Oceans Society
Connecticut Citizen Action Group
Quit-RBC
Society of Native Nations
West Kootenay EcoSociety
Glasswaters Foundation
Houston Youth Climate Strike
Indivisible Mohawk Valley Climate Crisis Working Group
Change the Chamber (Lobby for Climate)
Fridays for Future Windsor Essex
Fridays For Future Massachusetts
Fridays For Future Calgary
IMV
Regroupement vigilance hydrocarbures Québec
Le Ministère de la Nouvelle Normalité
Nanaimo Climate Action Hub
La CEVES
Clean Energy Action
Empower our Future
Earth Action, Inc.
Moccasin Footprint Society
Mouvement écocitoyen UNE planète
Bold Alliance
Extinction Rebellion San Francisco Bay Area
Solidarity Committee–Capital District
Zero Hour
GreenFaith
Comité vigilance hydrocarbures de la MRC de L’Assomption
Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU)
Comité Citoyens Citoyennes Protection Environnement Maskoutain
Fondation Rivières
Extinction Rébellion Québec
Prospérité sans pétrole
Action Environnement Basses-Laurentides
l’Écothèque
Vigilance OGM
Travailleuses et travailleurs pour la Justice Climatique
Clean Air Partnership
Fraser Valley Climate Action
Toronto350
350 Wenatchee
350 Vancouver
350 New Orleans
350Juneau
350 Lake Norman
350 Spokane
350 New Hampshire
350 Colorado
350 Juneau
350 Tacoma
350 Japan
350 Corvallis
350 Maine
350 Triangle
350 Silicon Valley
Codepink
Sierra Club BC
Saskatchewan Coalition for Sustainable Development
NY Renews
Fridays For Future Quinte
Comox Valley Council of Canadians
Earth Quaker Action Team
NON à une marée noire dans le Saint-Laurent
Armstrong/Shuswap Climate Action
Sunrise Movement American University
Extinction Rebellion San Francisco Bay Area
Climate Pledge Collective
Earth Action, Inc.
Haiti Cholera Research Funding Foundation Inc.
Below2C
Clean Energy Action
Empower our Future
Zero Hour Arkansas
Socialist Alternative Canada
Vancouver Unitarians Environment Team
Montreal for a World BEYOND War
Save Our Illinois Land
Fox Valley Citizens for Peace and Justice
Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center
Jubilee Australia
Chase Environmental Action Group
CatholicNetwork US
Businesses for a Livable Climate
CO Businesses for a Livable Climate
Small Business Alliance
Call to Action Colorado
Unite North Metro Denver
Wall of Women
North Range Concerned Citizens
Womxn from the Mountain
Western Slope Businesses for a Livable Climate
The Green House Connection Center
Montbello Neighborhood Improvement Association
I-70 Citizens Advisory Group
System Change Not Climate Change
Indivisible Ambassadors
Temple Emanuel Denver
Accelerate Neighborhood Climate Action
Community for Sustainable Energy
Capitol Heights Presbyterian
Save EPA (former employees)
Mayfair Park Neighborhood Association Board
Mental Health & Inclusion Ministries
Wilwerding Consulting, Littleton Business Alliance
Greater New Orleans Housing Alliance
Working for Racial Equity
Southwest Organization for Sustainability
